Nutritional behaviour and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents.

As part of the Leipzig Lipid Study, population studies have been performed to record cardiovascular risk profile and its dependence on nutritional and lifestyle factors. Primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases should start in early life. For this reason, adolescents from different schools were included in the study. Pupils from families of low socioeconomic status exhibit less favourable profiles for risk and lifestyle factors. Even in adolescence, there were significant associations between cardiovascular risk factors, such as overweight, high blood pressure and atherogenic lipoproteins. The mean total nutritional, intake of fatty acids was Largely in accordance with general recommendations, although the composition could be improved. High consumption of saturated fatty acids was combined with low consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids. It was found that the supply of long chain omega-3 fatty acids was unsatisfactory. The findings show that it is necessary to develop preventive strategies for children and adolescents.